Baker’s birth was such a whirlwind, so I wanted to share it here for preservation sake. I could not have had a better experience bringing our chunky little man into the world!

I went in for my weekly OB appointment after school on Thursday, September 15. I joked with my teaching team and admin before I left that I was always on edge for my appointments because I was convinced they would just admit me right then to have the baby. I also knew there was a chance the doctor wouldn’t want me to go full term since Baker was measuring weeks ahead since he was 20 weeks gestation.

When I went in for my appointment, I was a day away from being 39 weeks. Baker was measuring so big. They even had us do an additional growth ultrasound at 38 weeks to get an idea of just how big he was going to be at birth. At that ultrasound he was weighing in at 9 lbs. 14 oz. give or take a pound.

So, at my 39 week appointment, my OB wanted to see if I was dilated at all and also check my pelvis to see just how big of a baby I might be able to deliver on my own. After her assessment, she said I was 2 cm dilated and actually had a “fantastic pelvis” that could definitely deliver a baby in the 9 lb. range. However, everyone was very confident this baby was going to be at least 10 lbs. Even just feeling my belly, the doctors agreed my belly was all baby and he was a big boy. I was asked over and over by every medical professional who saw me, “Did you test positive for gestational diabetes?” To their bewilderment I said, “Nope! My husband was 10 lbs. 13 oz. when he was born, so we expected this.” They couldn’t believe it was purely genetics causing this baby to be so big and not any sort of abnormality.

My OB (who actually delivered me when I was born) said she didn’t want to force me to have a C section and that I was more than welcome to try to have the baby naturally, but that there’s a good chance it would end in a C section. She said scheduling a C section would be safest for me and the baby due to his size. That was all I needed to hear. I was never set on any sort of birth plan and I assured her I would much rather have a scheduled C section than an emergency C section after hours of labor.

Then she said, “What are you doing tomorrow morning?” I replied, “Well I was going to go to work…” She said she could schedule me for a C section the next morning at 7:30 am. Otherwise, we’d have to wait until after the weekend and do the C section Monday or Tuesday. I was so shocked at how soon that was, but figured there was no reason to wait! Especially since I was already 2 cm dilated, I didn’t want to chance going into labor on my own over the weekend. I said, sign me up!

I called Jared as soon as I got in the car and said, “Do you want to have a baby tomorrow?” He couldn’t believe it! He was a nervous wreck the rest of the night. I was so at ease with the decision, but he was instantly anxious about what was to come.

Ironically, Jared’s coworkers threw him a surprise baby shower at work that day. Talk about good timing!

Then, I called my mom to let her know. What’s funny is the last month or so of my pregnancy, my mom was convinced Baker would be born on September 16th even though his due date was the 23rd. She had no reasoning to back it up, that’s just what she thought. So when she picked up the phone I said, “I don’t know what you know that I don’t, but this baby is going to be born on the 16th!” She was so excited and ran to tell my dad too!

Finally, I texted my teaching team and administration to let them know my maternity leave would be starting the next day. I also posted on our class message board that I would be having the baby sooner than expected. I felt so bad I didn’t get to say good bye to my students. As they all left my class Thursday afternoon I said, “See you tomorrow,” when really I wouldn’t see them for almost 4 months.

Jared and I went to dinner at Outback with my parents that night. Jared couldn’t even eat because he was so nervous! Ironically, he was planning on packing his hospital bag that night anyway, so he did that as soon as we got home. I’d had mine packed for a couple weeks already just in case.

We set our alarms to be at the hospital by 5:30 the next morning and tried to get some sleep.

The morning came quickly and we made our way to the hospital bright and early. We checked in and were led to our room.

We had a really nice private room and were only one of two couples in the entire hospital having our baby. We practically had the place to ourselves!

With it being a scheduled C section, I wasn’t really scared of anything. I knew it was a very routine procedure and it was going to be safest for me and the baby. There were only two parts of the operation I was a little nervous about – the spinal block and when the baby is pulled out.

If I didn’t have a C section, I was planning on avoiding an epidural as long as possible. Not because I wanted to prove I could do it unmedicated, but because I was scared about being paralyzed form the waist down and not being in complete control of my body. So it was the same idea with the spinal block. I thought I would feel almost a sense of claustrophobia not being able to move. I also don’t like needles and have only recently gotten over that fear in the last few years.

Jared wasn’t able to come in the operating room with me while I was being prepped, but luckily I had a great nurse who let me hold her hand while they inserted the spinal block. It didn’t hurt at all! They had me lay down before I was too numb and I was surprised it didn’t bother me at all not being able to move.

As far as the baby being pulled out, I did some research on C sections the night before to know what to expect and read that when they pull the baby out, there is so much pressure it feels like an elephant is sitting on your chest. It’s not something I was scared about, but I was glad I was prepared for that feeling. During my operation, it didn’t necessarily feel like that much pressure, but it did take two doctors using all their strength to push Baker down far enough to pull him out because he was up so high. I couldn’t believe how much effort it took them to push him down!

Jared was let in once I was all prepped and the drape was put up. The entire procedure was so pedestrian. I couldn’t believe it when Dr. McCullen said she had started cutting! I wouldn’t have even known!

I was surprised that I was fully awake the entire time. I wasn’t groggy or anything, so Jared and I were just talking the entire time. Jared’s hands were sweating the whole time, but I was super relaxed. The doctors were just having a whole conversation between themselves while performing the C section because it was such a routine procedure.

Once they managed to get Baker out, he gave a little cry that brought tears to both me and Jared immediately. We couldn’t believe we actually had a son now!

As soon as they took him out, all of the staff was making comments on how big he was! Dr. McCullen said she was so glad I opted for the C section. One nurse said, “He has to be at least 12 pounds!” Another nurse said, “Here’s your toddler!” And yet another said, “Forget milk, he’s ready for meat and potatoes!”

They brought him over to a table to the side to get him all cleaned up real quick before bringing him over to us. We were able to see him while they were cleaning him off and we couldn’t keep our eyes off him.

They brought him over to us and laid him on my chest while the doctor finished the rest of the surgery. That second half of the C section flew by because we finally had our boy in our arms. His little face was so chunky and smushed. He barely peeked his eyes open at us (Or should I say just one eye. His left eye stayed closed awhile after he was born from the swelling).

He stayed on my chest while they wheeled my bed back into our room and he even tried picking his head up while he was laying on me! He was absolutely perfect and we couldn’t have asked for a better birth experience. I will gladly have a scheduled C section with my next baby. For someone who is as Type A as myself and someone who gets as anxious with medical things as Jared does, it truly was a perfect birth. Jared said, “Why would anyone have a baby any other way?” The recovery wasn’t as bad as I anticipated with a C section and Jared was a huge help with getting up and moving around.

Baker Doyle Johnson was born September 16, 2022 at 8:34 a.m. weighing 10 lbs. 14 oz. and measuring 22 inches long. We love him more than we could have ever anticipated.